A GRIP ON SPORTS • You remember your best friend from grade school? You know the one, for a while there you were inseparable, no matter how many times you disagreed, maybe even fought. The fun, the laughter, the good times made up for it. It’s the same way with March Madness, isn’t it? Read on.

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• There’s no hiding it anymore: I love college basketball. The games, the pageantry, the action, all contribute to it. The agony and ecstasy too. But what makes it unique is the diversity. There is no one way to be successful.

Think back about you best friend. The person you spent all those key childhood moments with. Think hard. You disagreed all the time, didn’t you?

My best friend and I, back in the day when everyone still wore butch haircuts, used to argue over the dumbest things. I always wanted to be Sergeant Saunders. So did he. I always wanted to be Napoleon Solo. So did he. I always wanted to be Ollie Brown. OK, he gave me that one.

Still we went everywhere together. Did everything. Spent the day side-by-side.

It’s the same with college hoops.

Every game holds the promise of adventure. Two teams, usually with differing philosophies, expending their last ounce of energy to win. Who will prevail?

Yes, it has its warts. The coaches make way too much money, the players not enough. The officiating is often too intrusive – Exhibit A was last night’s Gonzaga game – or overcome by the “let-them-play” attitude. Fans can be obnoxious. The hangers-on have evolved from the obnoxious level to downright criminal in some cases.

But you can hate all that and still love the game. And the games.

Houston won last night. Until it didn’t. Michigan lost last night. Until it didn’t.

Loyola of Chicago, who last played for the national title when Paladin was traveling the West, hits last-second, game-winning shots in back-to-back games.

America learns about Rob Gray, Jairus Lyles and Rui Hachimura. Coaches like Ryan Odom emerge from seemingly out of nowhere. Schools no one has heard of outside of their home county become household names – for 48 hours.

It’s March. It’s college basketball. It’s the best friend anyone could ever have.

• Breakfast in bed? No way. It’s a day for breakfast in front of the TV set. By the way, I feel sorry for people who only catch up with college hoops in March. Games like yesterday’s have been happening all season, in November, December, January and on. Until later …